Lind Future: FAQ

The title is fairly false because we have not had the opportunity for any question to be frequently asked, nor are the following bits of information factual, in that they may change in the future.  Because that’s how planning works.  You plan, things change, you roll with it, repeat.  But, regardless, I’m calling it an FAQ.  Because I’m pretending to read your collective mind.

What do you mean “Career Staff?”

A career position with MAF differs from the short-term position (that we are in now) in several key areas.  Our support will be the same amount as all other career staff.  We will need formal language training.  And once we are in country, we will be here three years before our first furlough and a new contract, give or take.

Did Matthew get promoted?

No.  It doesn’t work that way in missions, necessarily.  What really happened is that there is a need here for a program manager starting in 2014 and Matthew fits the bill.  He has a Bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership (and a Bachelor’s in Theology, just for kicks), as well as several experiences from previous jobs leading others in a management role, writing and reviewing policies, and a wealth of ideas and vision for the program in west DRC.

Where will you stay when you come home/what will you do?

We have two primary goals once in the states: training for a management role with MAF and bringing our support up to career staff levels.  So, we will spend a chunk of time, perhaps on and off during our months stateside, in Nampa, Idaho at Mission Aviation Fellowship headquarters.  It is a lovely place to be and feels like family when we’re there, so we’re excited to be back again.  Furthering our convenience is that my (Lisa’s) parents (not connected in any way with our decision, seeing as they didn’t know it when they started the process) just closed on their retirement house…in Nampa.

The rest of our time will be focused on building our ministry team:  reconnecting with people who have partnered with us since the beginning, and meeting new people to become part of our work here through financial and prayer support.  This is where YOU come in!  But, you know, there will be regular blog posts about that in the not-so-distant future.

But where does that have us located?  All over!  We hope to travel to past destinations and maybe some new ones.  We will return to Alaska (YAY!) to visit our supporters from there – and we miss our old home so much.  We will also do a mini version of our epic road trip, but hopefully see some new places as well.  Do you have a church that would let us speak?  Or a Bible study group looking to support some awesome missionaries?  Let us know!

How does language school work?

Language school for French-speaking locations with MAF is done in Quebec, Canada.  We are still hammering out the details of how this might look for us.  We are in a unique situation since we have some French, and have been exposed for nearly a year.  So, we hope to do what is necessary to become fluent, but not be frivolous with our time by starting from square one with formal school-style training.

When will you return to Congo?  Do you plan to return to Kinshasa?

We hope to return to Kinshasa, because we like it here!  Matthew knows the program and the team.  I have my own ministries here.  We love our church and the relationships we have here.  However, by the time we hope to return at the beginning of 2014, the main needs may have shifted and Matthew’s leadership might be needed elsewhere.  We won’t have a definite answer to the “where exactly?” question for quite some time.  Mostly, we leave that, along with this entire process, up to the Lord and his sovereignty.  If He wants us elsewhere, we go and know it will be awesome.

Like we said, our goal is to be back in Congo early 2014 – we will need to be 100% supported and done with our language training before we leave.  That’s a tall order, but nothing is impossible with God.  On the flip side, we recognize that this may not be God’s timing.  The human element of timing mostly depends on support raising.  We will be deliberate in our use of time and God’s resources while we build our team, with the goal of returning as quickly as possible.  Because we hate being in the states and raising support?  NO!  Because the need is HERE!  And we’re ready to WORK!

Will you be missionaries forever?

I don’t ask God those questions…that whole rule about not asking questions you don’t want to know the answer to?  I follow that.  🙂